Friday, January 29, 2010

build it and they will come...

someday, when i own my own imperfect little house to renovate, i think i might add something like this to a built-in (but in the laundry room or mudroom) for our fur-babies...

local support...

li of fat orange cat studio, the wonderfully talented pet photographer who immortalized our 2 dogs, is having a promotion in conjunction with the back bay framery for 15% off all displayed products and services when you book a session with li!

the back bay framery is right around the corner from where we live and i've yet to be in there, mainly because i've never had anything worthy of such incredible framing. but li certainly fixed that for us this past october, now all we have to do is choose our favorite (a nearly impossible task) can you see penny & maple in furry mix of adorableness?...



images courtesy of fat orange cat studio blog

Thursday, January 28, 2010

designer love, meichi peng design studio...

my wonderful co-worker/graduate school buddy, janna, introduced me to meichi peng design studio today and let's just say i'm very, very, very impressed with their portfolio...








work day portrait...


my sweet girl and i, at the end of the work day, ready to go home now to the boyfriend, graydy and our sick little maple...




wishing it was friday!

battle of the beasts...

the boyfriend just sent me this. i know he thinks it hilarious because it's similar to the relationship between our pets, penny (the dog) & graydy (the cat). although penny is not as persistant as this little pug and graydy isn't as FAT as this cat!



Cat Doesn't Let Dog Eat - Watch more Funny Videos

wedding crush...



i'm mega-crushing on this vintage garden wedding featured on green wedding shoes blog today! first of all, is this not the best looking couple you've ever freakin' seen? gosh, even their entire wedding party looks like a group of models!..


i really love the idea of a backyard wedding (hint, hint) too, and these two hit the nail right on the head with the location & decor. i'm a sucker for such gorgeous lighting fixture usage...



their invitations & wedding programs were as sweet as can be. i'm especially fond of how they wrote a little something about each member of the wedding party, it's a great way for guests who don't know the wedding party as intimately as the bride & groom to get a little insight into the relationship...

the human spirit is strong...


speaking of inspiration...this is an incredible account of one families decision to scale back in their own lives to help others. the power of half is the book the father & daughter wrote about downsizing their house and giving some of the proceeds to charity and about scaling back on other non-necessities in life. if more people could be like them this world would be a much better place.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

inspiration or stealing?...



when i was in graduate school for interior design a teacher once told me that there are no new designs, everyone just recycles design and tweaks it a little to call it their own...encouraging educator wouldn't you say? but i often wonder now that i am out of school & working how many of my designs are actually my own. or, like aaron russell said, do i get inspired by other people's work, tweak it, and call it my own?

with that being said, where do you look for inspiration for your home?

in fashion...

in architecture...

image courtesy of flickr

in a magazine...

image courtesy of homes interiors


aside from blogs, i like to look at houzz and my home ideas for some fresh 'inspiration'.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

add this onto my wishlist...


it was just announced today...and already on my wish list...


quotable...

yes, i love my chosen profession, but there are certainly days when i feel like this...

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

canine on caffeine...

i took this little video clip of penny this morning. little know fact about my darling little girl, she has a nasty caffeine addiction. every day she scours the office trash bins seeking out just finished coffee cups. she then proceeds to chew out the bottom of the cup to get those last drops left, OR, as you can see in this video, she has decided to try to dump the remains into her water bowl. clever little devil...


in full bloom...


this amaryllis was a gift to my company by an incredible landscape architect we collaborate with. i brought it home because plants in our office tend to get neglected. i think it was very happy to come live with us, don't you think?

chalkboard update...

remember when i was pining for a wall in my house to paint with chalkboard paint? well my favorite north shore creative gal, jenny, from second wind sails got to it first and shared the outcome with me...


jenny used the 'deep ocean' chalkboard color on top of her seafoam walls in her workspace, clearly using it to keep track of her bazillion orders she has to fulfill! I suggested either adding some casing molding around it (painted another fun color) to 'frame' it from the rest of her walls, or even finding a funky, large picture frame find at a flea market.

by the way, it's her dog so awesome to model beside what looks like a potential shower curtain???

kitchen envy...


i am having minor heart palpitations over this kitchen hooked on houses (via mls listings) just posted. oh, how i love those floor to ceiling glass cabinets to show off neatly stacked bowls, glasses, serving platters galore. and those dark stained wide plank floors juxtaposed against the clean white cabinets are just divine. surely i'd cook more if i had a double over/ double burner range & mega hood like that in my house, with plenty of counter space on that industrial influenced island. a girl can dream can't she???

Monday, January 25, 2010

console table calling my name...

i would really, really, really like to have this console table behind my couch...

luke console table from oly studio

i've always wanted a 'sofa table' behind the couch (potentially against a wall) to display 2 lamps framing either side of a lovely piece of artwork on the wall and/or some other decorative items placed on the table for display. daydreaming of such a day when i can have such a lovely, simple piece of furniture.

looking for lamps...

even though i don't NEED new lamps, i'd really like to get some new ones for the bedroom, preferably some crystal ones, light looking.

i once found knock-off's at home goods of these restoration hardware lamps, no one can tell the different (except me and anyone i tell the minute they walk through the door)...

wilshire lamp from restoration hardware


i love these ones, but i don't love their price. i think i'll keep scouring home goods or craigslist until something pops up. like i said, i don't NEED new lamps, but they sure would look pretty in our bedroom...

stacked crystal block lamps from restoration hardware


dedra crackled glass lamp from arteriors home


bancroft crystal lamp from pottery barn


palladian crystal urn lamp from restoration hardware


or maybe with these lovely black shades...

Sunday, January 24, 2010

a yummy resolution...

did i tell you what my new years resolution is? well, here it is... yup. the boyfriend decided i needed to cook more often, and i agreed. i love to eat, and i even enjoy cleaning up the dishes, just not actually make the food. before i met my boyfriend i usually ate take-out most nights (mind you, i was single for a VERY long time prior). living in the heart of the city was/is conducive to eating out; and let's not forget i was a graduate student taking night classes after working a full time job, there just wasn't time for cooking really. the resolution cookbook has been quite successful, so far, although my biggest challenge is figuring out the weekly dinner menus, which i try to do over the weekend so I can grocery shop for the week (or two). i often scour allrecipes.com or flip through issues of food & wine, martha stewart living, women's day , and my new subscription to cooking light magazine (thanks erin!) looking for new recipes to try. if we like them, they go into the cookbook, if not they go into the trash. the boyfriend is a very good cook and does his share of cooking for us, so it's only fair i do my part.

i just noticed this lemon risotto with brussel sprouts recipe on nytimes.com i think i'd like to try, but the boyfriend doesn't like brussel sprouts. i on the other hand dislike nothing (except salmon & anchovies), vegetables are certainly my favorite...



ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed

Salt to taste

2 quarts well seasoned chicken or vegetable stock, as needed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup minced onion

1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice

1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), green shoots removed, minced

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc

2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to the boil, salt generously and add the Brussels sprouts. Boil two minutes, then transfer to the ice water. Drain, dry on paper towels and cut in quarters.

2. Put your stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet. Sear the Brussels sprouts just until beginning to brown, about three minutes, stirring and shaking the pan. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a plate or bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in the same skillet, or in a large, wide saucepan. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown. Add the rice and the garlic, and stir until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine, and stir until it has been absorbed. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion, stirring in more stock when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often. After 10 minutes, stir in the Brussels sprouts. Continue adding stock and stirring. When the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy, in about 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan, and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn’t). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

Yield: Serves four to six.

put on your sunglasses...

cause these outfits are BRIGHT! we are sort of infatuated with neon ski onsies from the 80's, as seen here from a yearly apres-ski party i attend every year....



but these photos of my sister & brother-in-law from mlk day weekend in tahoe with their friends take the cake. i especially love how tight my brother-in-laws outfit is...



sis, i think these should definitely be your holiday card next year!